1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a confectionery product having a protein to carbohydrate relative weight ratio higher than 1. In particular, the invention relates to a diet bar for use as part of a low calorie diet, especially a very low calorie diet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Very low calorie formula diet containing the minimum daily requirements of each of the minerals, proteins and digestible carbohydrates required by man have achieved remarkable commercial success. Such diets are usually formulated as a dry powder for use when mixed with water, either to produce a savory flavor drink resembling a soup, or a sweet flavor drink resembling a milk shake. The diets are designed for use as a sole source of nutrition over a lengthy period of time and their use can lead to significant weight losses.
However, since the diet is consumed in liquid form any desire on the part of the dieter to chew what is consumed as the daily diet is frustrated unless the dieter consumes something other than the formula diet itself. On the other hand, if the dieter does consume something other than the formula diet itself out of a desire to chew something, that can negate the effect of the diet and lead to a smaller than expected weight loss, with consequent disappointment, and/or to the breaking of the diet altogether.
While some meal replacement bars for use in conjunction with very low calorie formula diets have been proposed, such bars have to date proved to be relatively unsatisfactory and generally do not meet objectives of supplying protein without an excess of carbohydrate, due to the requirements of the manufacturing technology. High protein/low carbohydrate baked or compressed products are known. However, known bars made by a confectionery process have a poor taste and provide a substitute for one or more meals in a very low calorie dietary regimen which is much less palatable than the liquid formula diet itself.
In order to produce a confectionery meal replacement bar for use in conjunction with a very low calorie formula diet it is necessary to overcome a number of interrelated problems. Firstly, the bar must contain the necessary meal replacement level of protein in the overall diet. While that may vary depending on the form of presentation of the supplement, generally a bar should contain sufficient protein to provide at least about one-fifth and preferably at least about one-third of a day's supply of protein within the confines of the particular dietary regimen chosen. That will usually mean the bar must contain at least 5 grams of protein, and typically from about 10 to about 18 grams of protein, though larger amounts of protein are not necessarily excluded.
Secondly, the bar while having a sweet taste and not exceeding the low energy content requirements of the diet, may at the same time provide a proportion of the other nutrients, say from about one-fifth to about one-third of a day's supply of, for example, carbohydrate, fat, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. This is not obligatory, and will depend on the type of dietary program which is envisaged. Thus the bar may contain a sufficient proportion of minerals and vitamins to enable it to be used as a meal replacement without detracting from the mineral and/or vitamin levels supplied in the daily diet of which it is a part, in which case the marked taste of any such minerals and/or vitamins must be sufficiently masked.
Lastly, despite the previous requirements imposed, the bar must be palatable, and at the same time sufficiently low in calories so that it is compatible with a very low calorie dietary regime.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,566 discloses bars which partially overcome the current disadvantages of such dietary bars and can be made by conventional confectionery processes. These bars utilize for the carbohydrate component a mixture of a digestible and an indigestible carbohydrate in suitable forms, thus allowing the creation of a plastic mass that can be shaped or formed by extrusion or rolling and subsequent cutting into a bar shape or other appropriate form. This bar contains an amount of carbohydrate material which is at least equal in weight to the weight of proteinaceous material, and may be up to 10 times the weight of the proteinaceous material, whereby the desired reduction in calorie content is achieved by a greater or a lesser admixture of an indigestible, or poorly digestible non-fibrous carbohydrate; the use of a non-fibrous material in this context reduces the viscosity of the mixture and results in bars with improved organoleptic properties.
However, such a product is imposed with burdensome requirements because it must possess a minimum percentage of indigestible carbohydrate of molecular weight lower than 5000, in order to reduce the calorific content, and remain palatable.
It has now surprisingly been found that the use of certain specific proteinaceous material alone or in combination with others, provide an excellent material for producing a bar having a higher proportion of protein than carbohydrate, and that remains chewy and palatable. The use of such proteinaceous material having a dissociation between water absorption properties and other functional characteristics render them suitable for such high protein bars without any reverse effect on the palatability of the bar. Furthermore, this confectionery product containing a majority of proteins possesses very good organoleptic properties and satisfies the dieter between each meal.
The present invention also provides a bar with higher nutritional quality at the same time as lower calorific content.
Proteinaceous materials usually used for the production of previous confectionery bars having a protein: carbohydrate weight ratio lower than 1 possess associated functionality such as high water absorption and high emulsification properties. It has been surprisingly found that proteinaceous material having dissociated functionality such as low water absorption and medium to high emulsification properties are suitable for the production of a confectionery bar having a protein: carbohydrate relative weight ratio higher than 1.